Clips

ABSTRACT

A clip which can be snapped-on to a tube, the clip having an arcuate gripping part and a foot. The clip may be made of aluminum alloy and the tube can have an oval passageway which can co-operate with an oval cam-locking tube for use in joining two tubes together. The aluminum alloy clip may be made by extrusion.

United States Patent Nimmo [451 Oct. 10, 1972 [54] CLIPS 3,322,3815/1967 Bubb ..248/121 [72] Inventor: Neil Duncan Nimmo Strawberr 295'3793,1884

House, Square Drhje Kings]; 2,963,761 12/1960 Haydock ..24/257 R Green,England 3,313,009 4/ 1967 Beckerer ..24/257 R 3,330,517 7/1967Zlmmermann ..248/74 X [22] Filed: May 9, 1969 [21] AppL N05 823,444FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,477,777 3/1967 France ..248/74 30Foreign Application Priority Data 894,867 4/ 1962 Great Br ta n ..248/741,078,193 8/1967 Great Britain ..24/257 R May 27, 1968 Great Britain..25225/68 July 17, 1968 Great Britain ..34007/68 Primary ExaminerBemal-d Gelak Nov. 21, 1968 Great Britain ..55350/68- Atmmey Ha &Houghton [52] US. Cl. ..248/121, 24/257, 287/2,

52/238, 248/351, 52/243, 108/153 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. ..A47g 29/02,A44b 21/00, E04h 1/00 A clip Which can be shapped on to a tube, the clipField of Search...24/25 7, 259 C, 2 55 C, 255 AS, having an arcuategripping part and a foot The clip 24/255 255 may be made of aluminumalloy and the tube can have 12? 5 f an oval passageway which canco-operate with an oval 287/DIG g 3 cam-locking tube for use in joiningtwo tubes together.

' The aluminum alloy clip may be made by extrusion.

[ 1 References Cited 5 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,285,554 11/1966 Voelkerding ..248/121 FM; 57\ j PATENTEDncnomz SHEET 1OF 2 F/aZ INVENTOR BY fpwfr ffl /zr ATTORNEY CLIPS This inventionrelates to clips, and has particular, but not exclusive, reference toconstructional clips.

According to the present invention, there is provided a clip securableto a cylindrical member which clip comprising a resilient arcuateportion and a foot, the resilient arcuate portion being co-operable withthe cylindrical member, and subtending an angle at the center of thearcuate portion greater than 180.

The cylindrical member may be of substantially circular cross-section,and the resilient arcuate portion of the clip may be substantially anarc of a circle. The clip may be a metal clip and the metal may be analloy of aluminum.

The alloy may include magnesium in the percentage range to 1 percent,manganese in the percentage range 0 to %silicon in the percentage rangeIt to l percent and aluminum to I00 percent.

The alloy composition may be magnesium percent, manganese 1% percent,silicon 1 percent and aluminum 97% percent. The alloy may be solutionand/or precipitation treated.

The thickness of the arcuate portion may be substantially constant. Theangle subtended by the arcuate portion may be in the range 235 i 35, andmay be, more particularly, in the range 215 i 30. There may be a waistbetween the arcuate portion and the foot.

The arcuate portion and the foot may be of integral construction, andthe foot may have a surface engageable with, when in use, a flatsurface, the arrangement being such that, in use, the fiat surface maybe supported in a plane parallel to a tangential plane of a cylindricalmember to which the clip may be secured. The surface of the foot may beperpendicular to that diameter of the arcuate portion which extendsthrough one end of the foot, when seen in cross-section. The width ofthe foot may be substantially equal to the diameter of the arcuateportion of the clip.

The foot may be engageable in a shoe, the width of the shoe beingsubstantially equal to the diameter of the arcuate portion of the clip.The clip may have a longitudinal channel formed in the inner surface ofthe arcuate portion adjacent the foot. There may be a waist between thefoot and the arcuate portion.

The clip may be in combination with the cylindrical member, and thecylindrical member may be of circular cross-section. The arcuate portionmay be an arcof acircle of a size such that it can be snapped-on to thecylindrical member to grip the cylindrical member.

The cylindrical member may be a tube having a circular cross-sectionalpassageway. The cylindrical member may be a tube having an ovalcross-sectional passageway. There may be provided a further extendedmember of oval external cross-section, the further extended member beingadapted and arranged to fit inside the cylindrical member, such thatrelative rotation of the further extended member and the cylindricalmember locks the further extended member to the cylindrical member.

The clip of the combination may also be a metal clip, and the metalmaybe an alloy of aluminum. The alloy may include magnesium in thepercentage range 0 to 1 percent, manganese in the percentage range 0 to)4 percent, silicon in the percentage range A to 1 percent and aluminumto 100 percent. The composition of alloy of the clip may be magnesiumpercent, manganese l percent, silicon 1 percent, and aluminum 97%percent. The aluminum alloy clip of the combination may be solutionand/or precipitation treated.

The cylindrical member may be formed of an aluminum alloy.

The ratio of the thickness of the arcuate portion of the clip to thediameter of the tube may be in the range 15 to 25.

The length of the clip may be greater than or equal to one inch (25.4mm.).

The clip may be provided with a locking member pivotally mounted on afirst leg of the arcuate portion and being lockable, when in use, to asecond leg of the arcuate portion. The locking member may be an arcuatelocking member, and the pivoting positionof the locking member on thearcuate portion may be diametrically opposed to the locking position onthe arcuate portion.

There may be provided a lip on each leg of the arcuate portion, each lipco-operable with a corresponding lip on each end of the locking member,the arrangement being such that, the lips on the locking memberintermesh, when in use, with the lips on the arcuate portion of theclip.

The clip may be formed of anodized aluminum alloy.

The present invention also provides a method of making a clip, whichclip comprising a resilient arcuate portion and a foot, the resilientarcuate portion being securable to and co-operable with a cylindricalmember, the resilient arcuate portion subtending an angle greater thanlat the center thereof, which comprises the steps of extruding a lengthof material through a die having an orifice defining the arcuate portionand the foot, and cutting off a length of the material to form the clip.

The method may be used to form a clip of an aluminum alloy. Thethickness of the arcuate portion of the clip may be substantiallyconstant. The angle subtended by the arcuate portion of the clip may bein the range 235 1- 35 and, more particularly, may be in the range 215 i30. The width of the foot may be substantially equal to the width of theclip, and the clip may be formed with a longitudinal channel in theinner surface of the arcuate portion adjacent the foot.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view along the arrow II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 when in use;

FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, are end elevations of further embodiments;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of that portion of FIG. 6 inside the dottedcircle;

FIG. 9 is an elevation partly in cross-section of two cylindricalmembers, one having a clip snapped thereon, and a further oval member;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section along the line X X of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a shelf support incorporating a clip of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of a partition including clips of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a joint in the partition of FIG. 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, the clip comprises an arcuate portion 1 and afoot 2. In the unexpanded position, as shown in FIG. 1, the arcuateportion forms an arc of a circle subtending an angle of 215 at thecenter of the circle. The arcuate portion and the foot may be formedseparately, in which case the portion 1 can be cut from a tube, and thefoot can be extruded moulding which can be secured to the portion 1 witha suitable adhesive, for example an epoxy resin. Preferably, however,the clip is made by extruding a single section and a length of thesection is cut off to form a clip.

A clip in which the arcuate portion 1 is of 1% inches (31.75 mm.)external diameter, with walls 0.064 inches (1.63 mm.) has been made inan aluminum alloy of composition silicon 1 percent, magnesium percent,manganese k percent, and aluminum 97% percent. These clips have a highresistance to fatigue if they are solution treated (heated to 500 C andrapidly cooled by water quenching) and then precipitation treated(reheated for a period of time at 120 C 200 C). Other alloys have beentried, an alloy of silicon 1 percent, magnesium percent, and aluminum98% percent has a poor fatigue strength in the unheat-treated condition.

The clips have been tried on aluminum alloy and steel tubes, and worksatisfactorily on both. However, aluminum alloy tubes are, for the samedimensions, less than half the weight of steel tubes, and a furthervirtue of certain aluminum alloys is that they can be anodized.Anodizing enables a very good finish to be applied to both the clip andthe tube, and a color may be added to the oxide film for decorativepurposes.

The arcuate portion 1 and the foot 2 are tapped with a hole 3 which iscountersunk, 4, into the portion 1. In normal use the clip is secured toa flat surface by passing a screw or bolt (not shown) through the hole3. The head of the screw or bolt is so shaped as to be able to sinkbelow the inner surface of the portion 1 into the countersunk hole. Thescrew or bolt can also serve the additional purpose of holding togetherthe arcuate portion 1 and the foot 2, in the arrangement in which theyare not in an integral unit.

The clip is secured to a tube 5, by simply snapping it onto the tube.Any one size of clip can only be used satisfactorily on a limited rangeof tube sizes. For example, an aluminum alloy pipe, Duralumin, of 1.25inches (31.75 mm.), and with walls 0.064 inches (1.63 mm.) is securelyheld by an aluminum alloy clip, Duralumin having a circular arcuateportion with an integral diameter 1.122 inches (31.5 mm.), and 9 wallthickness of 0.064 inches (1.63 mm.) in the unexpanded condition. Thelength of the clip is a matter of choice, the longer the clip thegreater the holding power, but clips 1% inch in length have been foundto be satisfactory.

The circular clip can be secured in any position around and along thelength of a circular tube, and is equally stable in any position.

Although the inner surfaces of the clips and the outer surface of thetube are shown to be smooth in the accompanying drawings they may beridged or formed with other surface patterns.

The clip illustrated in FIG. 1 has an arcuate portion which issubstantially the arc of a circle. However, an

alternative arrangement of the arcuate portion can be that shown in FIG.5. The two legs 30 and 31 of the clip are arcs of circles with the sameinternal radius as the external radius of the tube to which the clip isattachable. The centers of the arc are however displaced, 32 being thecenter of the arc of leg 30, and 33 being the center of arc of leg 31.This enables the clip to grip a tube to which it is attached.

The clip may be provided with a locking member to restrain any tubeinside the clip. In FIGS. 6 and 7, the clip 34 has a foot 35, and twolegs 36, 37 which form the arcuate portion. The ends of the legs areformed with lips 38, 39, which co-operate with corresponding lips 40 and41 formed on the ends of the locking member 42.

To use the clip, it is snapped-on to a tube, and the locking member hasone lip, 41 fitted to the corresponding lip 39. The locking member isthen pivoted around the latter lip, and the lip 40 is engaged beneaththe lip 38, thus securing the locking member over the tube.

FIG. 8 illustrates a clip in which the foot 43 is mountable in a shoe44. The shoe has a longitudinal passageway 45 with longitudinal ridges46 to hold the flanges 47 of the foot against the upper portions 48 ofthe shoe. The arcuate portion 49 may be formed in any of the waysdescribed above. A channel 50 is formed in the center of the arcuateportion adjacent the foot, and can be used as a guide if the clip has tobe bored to accept a bolt. The trough would also, in such a case, act asa countersink for the bolt.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrates an arrangement whereby two lengths of tubecan be joined together. Both the tubes 51, and 52, have a circularexternal cross-section and an oval internal cross-section. The innertube 53 has an oval external cross-section and a circular internalcross-section. To join the two tubes 51 and 52 together, a piece of theoval tube is put into their cores, as shown in FIG. 12, and the tube 51is rotated relative to the tube 52. This relative rotation carries withit the internal oval tube 53, and jams the oval tube 53 against theinside of both the tubes 51 and 52. The two tubes are thus heldtogether, and can transmit considerable loads, especially thrust loads.The resistance of the joint to bending stresses may be increased byincreasing the length of the inner oval tube 55.

The ends of the tubes 51 and 52.need not be in an abutting relationship,and they can be moved apart by any distance, provided the oval tube 53is long enough, to make a tube unit of a variable length. A clip havingarcuate portions 1 and a foot 2, as in FIG. 2, is shown snapped onto thetube 51, as previously described.

The clip may be used for making permanent joints, or for use insituations where it is easily dismantled or assembled. In its permanentrole it could be used in the construction industry for such uses assecuring electrical conduit pipe or water pipes to walls or othersupports or for the erection of partitioning in offices. In itstemporary role, the clip would find applications for such things as theerection of display fittings for exhibitions or shop windows.

A stand or bookshelf can be made up as shown in FIG. 11. A tube 18 hassnapped onto it a clip 19 to which is connected a bracket 20. Thebracket 20 supports a shelf 21. By arranging the bracket in the mannershown in the drawing, the slight bending of the shelf which occurs onloading tends to result in a force which .pushes the clip onto the tube,thus enhancing the gripping power of the clip on the tube.

FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a partition which extends between a ceiling22 and a floor 23. A tube 24 is secured to the ceiling and floor, eitherby being built in as shown, or by being secured to the ceiling and floorby pipe clamps. Secured to one side of the tube 24 is a partitioningboard 25, and secured to the other side is a further partitioning board26. The boards are secured by the clips 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d, 27e and 27f.The clips are screwed to the boards 25 and 26, and the clips arestaggered vertically to ensure that they do not interfere with oneanother. This type of partitioning has a builtin air-gap 28 which can beleft empty or can be filled with an insulating material, for exampleglass-fiber. The air-gap helps to reduce the sound transmission acrossthe partition, and also gives enhanced thermal insulationcharacteristics to the partition.

FIG. 13 shows an arrangement which enables the partitioning boards to beabutted. The two partitioning boards 54 and 55 each have a series ofclips 56, 57 secured to them. The clips are securable to a tube 58 andare staggered along the length of the tube. It can be seen that the clip57 is no way interferes with the partitioning board 54 and does notoverlap it at all. This enables boards of slightly different thicknessto be used with clips of slightly different foot thicknesses to producean even external surface.

This partitioning arrangement could be used in restaurants etc. toprovide an easily changeable wall covering. Additionally, back-drops orsets for theatres or in film sets or photographic studios can be rapidlyerected and dismantled using the clips of the invention.

Other embodiments of the invention can be envisaged. For example, thefoot need not be positioned diametrically opposite the opening in thearcuate portion, but could be positioned anywhere on the arcuateportion. A modular system using the clips and the tubes, including theoval tubes could be rapidly assembled and disassembled in a multitude ofways to produce arrangements of very large size.

It will be understood that the clip could be made of materials otherthan aluminum alloys, for example it could be made of titanium,stainless or other alloy steels, brass, bronze, glass-fiber or amagnesium alloy.

I claim:

1. A system comprising:

a. at least one elongated externally cylindrical member formed ofaluminum alloy and having an oval inner wall,

b. a further member having an oval outer wall sized to slidingly engagewithin said oval inner wall in one position of relative rotation thereofand to jam .within said oval inner wall on relative rotation of saidmembers, and

c. a clip formed of aluminum alloy and having a foot and a resilientlyarcuate portion,

d. said resiliently arcuate portion subtending an angle at the centerthereof in the range of 210 i 30 and being a snap-on fit onto saidcylindrical member, and

' e. said foot providing means for securing the clip to a surface to besupported by engaging the clip with said internally oval external]cylindrical member.

A system as claimed in c arm 1, wherein said resilient arcuate portionis of constant wall thickness.

3. A system as claimed in claim I, wherein said resilient arcuateportion comprises a first leg and a second leg each in the form of anarc of a circle having an internal diameter equal to the externaldiameter of the externally cylindrical member, the centers of the arcsof the two legs being displaced from each other so as to move the twolegs towards one another.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, which comprises at least two of saidexternally cylindrical members each having an oval inner wall, andwherein said further member is sized to slidingly engage within the ovalinner walls of adjacent ends of said externally cylindrical members whenassembled therewith, and to jam therewith when relative rotation of saidexternally cylindrical members causes relative rotation of their ovalwalls with respect to said further member.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition of thealuminum alloy clips consists essentially of magnesium 0 to 1 percent,maganese 0 to Y; percent, silicon k to 1 percent and aluminum topercent.

1. A system comprising: a. at least one elongated externally cylindricalmember formed of aluminum alloy and having an oval inner wall, b. afurther member having an oval outer wall sized to slidingly engagewithin said oval inner wall in one position of relative rotation thereofand to jam within said oval inner wall on relative rotation of saidmembers, and c. a clip formed of aluminum alloy and having a foot and aresiliently arcuate portion, d. said resiliently arcuate portionsubtending an angle at the center thereof in the range of 210* + OR -30* and being a snap-on fit onto said cylindrical member, and e. saidfoot providing means for securing the clip to a surface to be supportedby engaging the clip with said internally oval externally cylindricalmember.
 2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resilientarcuate portion is of constant wall thickness.
 3. A system as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said resilient arcuate portion comprises a first legand a second leg each in the form of an arc of a circle having aninternal diameter equal to the external diameter of the externallycylindrical member, the centers of the arcs of the two legs beingdisplaced from each other so as to move the two legs towards oneanother.
 4. A system as claimed in claim 1, which comprises at least twoof said externally cylindrical members each having an oval inner wall,and wherein said further member is sized to slidingly engage within theoval inner walls of adjacent ends of said externally cylindrical memberswhen assembled therewith, and to jam therewith when relative rotation ofsaid externally cylindrical members causes relative rotation of theiroval walls with respect to said further member.
 5. A system as claimedin claim 1, wherein the composition of the aluminum alloy clips consistsessentially of magnesium 0 to 1 percent, maganese 0 to 3/4 percent,silicon 1/2 to 1 percent and aluminum to 100 percent.